We see hundreds of car recall notices every year, but the headline on this one stands out. Stellantis, the parent company of Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Ram, and a few other international car brands, has recalled 20,775 Alfa Romeo Tonale and Dodge Hornet Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) SUVs because their brake pedals can fail.
You read that right.
The company tells federal safety officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that vehicles built between July 20, 2023, and July 18, 2024, “may have been built with a brake pedal assembly that may collapse while braking.”
Stellantis says it knows of one accident, with no injuries, related to the problem.
The company says that the cars may stop themselves to prevent a collision. The problem is with the pedal, not with the actual brakes. So “the Automatic Emergency Braking system, when active, will intervene when it detects a collision is imminent.” Owners might also use the emergency brake, located in the center console, to stop the car.
The recall notice doesn’t come with a stop-driving warning.
It’s nearly impossible to determine the build date of your specific car on your own. The company will contact owners. However, dealership records often have that information. We wouldn’t blame you for calling your dealer and asking them to check their records for a build date.
Dealers will fix the problem by reinforcing the brake pedal arm “by adding a bolt and a nut,” Stellantis says.
By law, dealers never charge for recall repairs.
Manufacturers try to reach every owner to warn them. However, some may fall through the system’s cracks and unknowingly drive recalled cars. Check our easy recall tool to determine if your vehicle has any outstanding recalls.
